Maria Sakkari, the most Mexican Greek still has a lot to give

Surprised, in a positive way, by the treatment she has received on each of her visits to Mexico, the Greek María Sakkari promises a long stay after arriving as one of the public's favorites for this Mérida Open 2025 almost two years after her victory in Guadalajara (WTA 1000 of 2023), which meant - at that time - her most important triumph as a professional.

Currently ranked 30th in the world, Sakkari says she was happy when the WTA decided to move the 500 category tournament from San Diego (USA) to southeastern Mexico , to later receive the opportunity to play in a country that she continues to miss for always having received special treatment from the general public.

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"I don't think I've changed much since my first time here, or at least not in a good way. I've improved as a player, but I'm left with only the best memories, especially from here, as a driving force to go further in my career," she said in an interview with 24 Horas.

Increasingly confident in her physical condition and with the shoulder injury that led her to prematurely say goodbye to the 2024 active season now over, Sakkari said she is still far from her best individual version, but much more aware of managing the pressure, which months ago led her to experience notable setbacks in her career.

“I would say that the pressure I feel when playing today is less and less, because I am happy to be active and healthy again, with the opportunity to do what I love and dedicate myself to it. The injury gave me time to think a lot and I think the result was extremely positive,” admitted the Athens, Greece native.

Mexico's favorite

Although the player arrives as a favourite of the national public, Sakkari since her triumph in 2023 in Guadalajara can only boast a final played in Indian Wells in 2024.

She has also had a difficult start to the year, as her return from a shoulder injury has limited her and forced her to quickly say goodbye to several tournaments. This situation has forced her to change her approach to professional tennis.

“I would say that my experience in Mexico helps me to retain all the good things that I have experienced as a tennis player here, despite the difficulties I have experienced, to try to use them to help me continue to achieve good results in the country and now in Merida,” added the player.

The first big match of the first round is already underway at the Mérida Open, between Zeynep Sonmez, the current champion of the tournament, and María Sakkari, the public's favourite https://t.co/XN1BFkm9hC 📹 @pau_lino14 pic.twitter.com/cK8oqJm70l

— @diario24horas (@diario24horas) February 26, 2025

His first crown

Maria won the 2020 WTA Internationals in Morocco as her other professional singles title.

María Sakkari has competed in 2 finals in WTA tournaments held in Mexico, both in Guadalajara between 2022 and 2023, with a title in the last of them.